Page 506 - Truncal States to UAE_Neat

Notes to Chapter Nine

some seismic work Occidenlal decided early in 1970 lo drill on a location
nine miles from Abu MGsa in what it considered lo be Umm al Qaiwain’s
territorial waters, but was soon made aware of Sharjah’s twelve mile
claim. On 15 May 1970 the British Government notified the parties
concerned that the dispute should be referred to arbitration, but that
meanwhile Occidental should be allowed to proceed with drilling pi a ns.
Five days later Iran for the first time officially notified the British
Government of the renewal of its claim to Abu Musa and the two Tunbs,
and implied that if drilling was not suspended Iran would take matters
into its own hands. In order to avoid a showdown at such an
inopportune moment Britain proposed a temporary three-month sus-
pension of drilling, pending the outcome of arbitration. The proposal
was enforced when a British minesweeper intercepted Occidental’s
offshore rig and ordered it to move out of the disputed area. See in
particular MEES, vol. XIII, no. 27, 1 May 1970 and no. 32, 1 June 1970.
107 See also for the following MEES, vol. XV, no. 6, 3 December 1971.
108 This memorandum was sent to several Arab stales on 23 August 1971. It
was published by Al Anwar in Beirut on 30 November 1971; according
to this paper the few states who actually replied to the memorandum all
urged restraint upon Sharjah. Translation published by MEES, vol. XV,
no. 6, 3 December 1971, pp. 4-8; quotation p. 8.
109 One reason for the improvement in the climate may have been that the
main “hawk”, Ardeshir Zahedi was in the meantime replaced as Foreign
Minister by ’Abbas ’Ali Khalatbari.
110 As part of the agreement the Ruler of Sharjah announced that the
consortium headed by Buttes Gas and Oil Company would “undertake
exploration for oil on the island and its territorial waters." Since Iran as
well as Sharjah recognised the twelve mile territorial limit this meant
that Occidental had to withdraw. Text of the agreement in MEES, vol.
XV, no. 6, 3 December 1971, p. 4.
111 See MEES, vol. XV, no. 7,10 December 1971 and supplement to no. 8,17
December with a translation of the text of the law establishing the new
company.
112 A publication of the full text of the communique in MEES. vol. XV, no. 6,
3 December 1971, pp. 8ff.
113 For the names see MEES, vol XV, no. 8, 17 December 1971.
114 For the names see Reuters Bulletin, 7 February 1972.
115 Defence Minister Shaikh Muhammad bin Rashid Al Maktum was
present for ceremonies at the headquarters and the various outposts in
the mountains and the desert. The 1,700 strong force became known as
the Union Defence Force, and was commanded by a Briton, Lt-Col.
Watson. Thirty-three British officers and about forty NCOs were still
attached to the force.
116 See also above, pages 317ff.

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